BAE Systems Receives $28 Million Order to Produce U.S. Marine Corps Lightweight Helmets

Feb 14 20132013-02-14T01:00:00+01:00

BAE Systems has received a $28 million order from the U.S. Marine Corps for the production of lightweight combat helmets.

The lightweight design, first produced by the company in 2012, represents the latest model in Marine Corps helmets since the Personnel Armor System Ground Troops helmet was replaced in 2003.

“This lightweight helmet is a sophisticated design engineered to meet the Corps’ protection requirements for bullets and fragmentation,” said Eric Gavelda, director of Warfighter Protection at BAE Systems Protection Systems. “This order allows us to continue production well into 2014.”

The lightweight helmet is fully certified to meet rigorous standards for ballistic, structural and non-ballistic impact testing set by the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Test Center. This new order is an option on an existing contract issued to BAE Systems in 2010. The cumulative value awarded thus far under the contract is approximately $56 million.

The lightweight helmet is produced at the company’s Jessup, Pennsylvania facility. The Jessup facility also produces the Army’s Advanced Combat Helmets and Combat Vehicle Crewman Helmets. Since 1986, more than 800,000 of BAE Systems’ helmets have been fielded to U.S. Marines and Soldiers.

BAE Systems Protection Systems is a leading provider of military protective and load carrying equipment in the United States, producing a significant portion of the nation’s body armor, tactical vests, combat helmets and load carrying systems. The company is focused on the design, development and production of leading edge survivability products. Its integration of advanced materials into manufacturing, rigorous product testing and field trials support BAE Systems’ focus on the men and women who serve in the armed forces.